Darkest Before the Dawn
by OutOfTheGalaxy
Summary: With Team Arrow crumbling around them, Laurel and Felicity decide to continue Oliver's mission themselves. They just might be the heroines the city has been looking for.
1. Chapter 1

I hope y'all enjoy! If you like it please leave a review! I know this chapter is a little short, but I just wanted to get the idea out there. The following chapters will be longer. Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Both women worked in silence, Felicity at the computer and Laurel punching the stuffing out of some of the dummies. Neither of the women were close; at best, they were allies. But now, neither knew where they stood. Around them Team Arrow had fallen apart. Oliver had fallen to Ra's al Ghul. Diggle had loyally went in search of his best friend, leaving Lyla and little Sara behind. Both Oliver and Diggle had been missing for a while, each day weighing down on the remainder team members. Roy had packed up his stuff and taken Thea away in an attempt to distance themselves from the sad memories that surrounded them in Starling.

"Train me," Felicity broke the silence, swiveling to face Laurel. It was a decision she had been mulling over for the last week. Roy, Diggle, and Oliver had all fought hard to keep this city safe. She couldn't let their sacrifice be undone. Plus, watching them walk out of her life left her feeling rather helpless.

"What?" Laurel asked surprised. She was unsure how to take the question, not having been close to Felicity.

"You need me, well, not really… But it would be safe if I was there with you. Not that you can't protect yourself, but, you know, safety in numbers. Statistically speaking, people are three times as safe when they are not alone and… I am going to stop now," Felicity rambled, unsure how to convince Laurel.

"Okay, I'll do it," Laurel decided, surprising Felicity in. In the past months, under the training of Nyssa and previously Dig and Oliver, Laurel had turned into quite the fighter. Imparting her knowledge to Felicity would better the team, or what was left of it. Starling City deserved the salvation Oliver had so wanted for it. Another hero in the streets certainly would help.

"Really?" Felicity was surprised. She had at least expected some disagreement on Laurel's part. Laurel was the assistant DA for a reason. Felicity had spent the most of last night working on a list of logical reasons why Laurel should agree to train her. She wouldn't admit it but she was rather proud of her list of points.

"You're right," Laurel admitted. Felicity savored the moment. She got the feeling that Laurel didn't exactly always hand admittances like that out.

"Ollie… He gave me a reason to fight. After Sara died, I had nothing but anger to hold me together. But, now?" Laurel paused, pointing at the Canary suit. "This city needs me to hold it together and it needs you, too. We start training tomorrow, bright and early." With that, Laurel turned on her heel, leaving Felicity alone with her thoughts.

Felicity rested her head in her hands, unsure whether she had made the right decision. Who was she kidding? She was just an IT girl from Vegas. She wasn't a superhero.

"No!" She firmly muttered to herself. She couldn't fall apart. She had to be strong like Oliver had been. The pit in her stomach enlarged, just thinking about him. She hadn't said it back to him, before he left. She hadn't said I love you. The regret gnawed at her, but she couldn't go down that rabbit hole. She dealt with the grief poorly the first few months in his absence. Since, she had shut herself away from the memory of Oliver as much as she could, her heart still raw from the pain.

She pushed herself away from the table. She scrambled to the exit, the familiarity of the foundry making her sick. All she had to do was take it one day at a time. Maybe one day, she would wake up and not need to put herself back together again.


	2. Chapter 2

First off, I want to say a big thank you for the wonderful response! I am so excited for this chapter and hope y'all are to! Second, I love, love, love reviews! Any constructive criticism or ideas would be very welcome.

highlander348: Thank you so much! I am open to any ideas you have for Felicity's hero name and costume.

WinterRain36: Thank you so much! To be honest, I think Felicity would be a great heroine! The muse bite me and just wouldn't let go. Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

Lastly, I don't own any of these characters, unfortunately.

Felicity's toes curled, the concrete cold under her feet. She knew Laurel wasn't going to take it easy on her. She really regretted the mint chocolate chip ice cream pint that she had indulged in last night. As of recent, her mint chocolate chip feasts had become more regular. This wasn't the first time her beloved ice cream panacea had been more of a hindrance than helpful. She promised herself that if she lived through the training with Laurel, she would toss out the remainder of her no good, very tasty ice cream.

"Good, you're here early," Laurel nodded as she descended into the foundry already dressed. She looked like a slightly more relaxed version of her Black Canary self: black leggings, black top, and the same fierce determination. Felicity felt a tad bit inadequate in her sweats and bubble gum pink top. She could have at least invested in some quality leather. That was what superheroes wore, right?

"So, face me. I want to see what you've got. Take a shot," Laurel stood in a relaxed stance, waiting for the blonde to make her move. Felicity mimicked the other woman's stance, dominant foot in front with her hands in front of her. She kept her eyes on Laurel, analyzing all the moves she could do in her head. She knew the moves, having seen Dig and Oliver do them in the foundry thousands of times, but that didn't mean she could actually do them herself.

Felicity lurched forward, throwing a punch, somewhat blindly. In one fluid movement, Laurel caught her punch, twisted her arm, and knocked her feet from under her. Felicity landed on the floor with a loud thud. Felicity remained there.

"Up," Laurel commanded, not letting Felicity accept her own defeat so early out of the gates.

"But, the ground isn't trying to hurt me," Felicity murmured. Maybe, she should keep the ice cream for her bruises. She pushed herself reluctantly and slowly up from the floor.

"It could have been worse, you know. Your stance was good and you had force behind your punch," Laurel paused, leveling with Felicity. "You absorbed what you saw with Ollie and Mr. Diggle. Now, you just need to process it. Your problem is that you're fighting how you do your hacking. You're thinking too much," Laurel added, explaining herself.

"Hacking is a harsh word. I prefer internet sharing," Felicity corrected her. Of course, Felicity immediately realized, Laurel didn't particularly care about how she felt about that certain term.

"I get it, less thinking, more doing," Felicity added to appease her. Laurel motioned for Felicity to follow her. Laurel stopped in front of some of the practice dummies, in the back of the foundry.

"First, focus on the dummy. You have you fists like this," Laurel demonstrated with her own, nodding when Felicity did it correct.

"Now, do the stance you had earlier," Felicity nodded, following Laurel direction. Laurel stepped close to her, nudging Felicity's back foot backwards with her own.

"When you throw your punch, push off your back leg and don't swing too wide," Laurel instructed. Laurel demonstrated a good punch for Felicity to mimic. Felicity focused solely on the dummy. She could do this! It was just a dummy bag. In one swift movement Felicity punch the dummy.

"Good!" Laurel cracked somewhat of a smile. She raised her hand for a high-five. Felicity's jaw almost dropped, surprised by the gesture. Felicity was quick to high five her back, though. Who knew when a similar chance would occur?

"Okay, again," Laurel demanded. Felicity had the sneaking suspicion that she was going to be hearing a lot more of the word 'again' in her training with Laurel.

Felicity was walking down the street when it caught her eye. She had been on her way home from her new Krav Maga class that Laurel had suggested she take when she saw exactly what she was looking for in the window of a store. A black leather jacket. She saw it and the training she was doing felt a little more real. She knew it was silly to believe that one jacket was going to make her a hero. But with all the pain that still found a way into her life, she deserved something that lifted her spirits a little. She didn't even know if it would be able to wear it when she started doing superhero things, but the promise it held was all too endearing for her.

"Oh, frack!" She muttered when she saw the price tag. She took a shallow breath and bought the jacket anyway. Her job as VP enabled her to spend as she pleased. But, she was still weary of big price tags, except when it came to shoes and apparently leather jackets.

At home, the jacket was placed in the center of her closet, a place reserved for her favorite pieces. She wiped imaginary dust off of it affectionately. She turned, suddenly assaulted by the face of Dig and Oliver. Well, not their faces, but a photo of them when times were good. She rushed forward slamming the framed picture down. Not today, she wasn't going to let them steal her happiness. Another day, maybe. But today? Today was her day.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, thanks sooooo much for reading! I really appreciate it! Please leave a review!

highlander348: Yeah, her intellect definitely makes her an amazing character. I am trying to tie that in wither her learning experiences when becoming a superhero. I want to see her take her existing skills and format them in a manner that benefits her new skill set.

longstreet: I don't intend to rush her training. A large part of the beginning of this story is Felicity developing and exploring this new side of her and her new relationship with Laurel. Don't worry! I will try to portray her as the awesome superhero she is, with a great name to boot.

anitachiesa: Thanks! Here is your new update. I am glad you're looking forward to that, but it might be a little while in the making.

The Watcher: I am glad you think so! Hope you like this chapter!

Roxanna3THG: I am glad you like it! I will definitely take your ideas into consideration when in comes to her crafting her superhero persona.

Disclaimer, I don't own Arrow.

Felicity had settled into a basic routine for the last month. Each day, after arrival, Laurel had taken her to main mat. Laurel waited for Felicity to make her move. It always ended with Felicity landing, somewhat loudly and uncomfortably, on the floor. Felicity wouldn't admit it but the most hurtful part of the whole exercise was the look of disappointment on Laurel's face. She and Laurel weren't exactly besties, but she still felt a sting when she saw that look.

Today was no exception from the routine. Each day, she felt more determined to not eat the mat. Today was the day, she decided. She felt as though she had come a long way from the Felicity she had been a month ago. She had only eaten mint chocolate chip ice cream once this week. She was less mopey and gosh darn it, she was starting to look toned. One benefit to being (or working to be) a superhero was that you were in great shape.

"Let's see what you've got," Laurel said, beginning the day's workout. Felicity didn't hesitate. She threw a punch, putting some of her weight in it. Laurel blocked it, as if swatting at a fly. But with her attention on Felicity's fist, Felicity cut upward with her left hand, like a blade, hitting Laurel in the throat. Laurel gagged on reflex, taking an automatic step back. She regained her composure in a matter of seconds, prepping and executing a roundhouse kick. Felicity ducked down and did a leg sweep, toppling Laurel onto her butt. Felicity paused, assuming the basic stance, unsure how Laurel would respond.

"That was good, Felicity! Now we can start with some of the more intermediate stuff," Laurel said, pride almost detectable in her voice. Felicity stood dumbfounded.

"That was the easy stuff?" Felicity asked rhetorically. "Not that I don't want to learn more stuff. I just thought that this was going to be easier. It's not that you aren't a good teacher, but when I watched you and them practice, it just seemed so easy." Felicity babbled, aware of her words but not completely able to stop them.

"I know what you mean," Laurel laughed mirthlessly. "I saw what Sarah did, and I thought I could easily do it too. You're getting better, if that's any consolation. I can see that you're stopping to think less before you make your moves. It's becoming more of a reflex, right? Or, at least, it should," Laurel commented. Felicity stood, the praise sinking in. She couldn't help but smile a little, noticing the change that Laurel had pointed out. She wasn't a superhero yet, but she was on her way for sure.

"I am going to break our training up differently now that you have the basics down. Half the time we will work on your combat and fighting skills, and the other half will be devoted to weapon use," Laurel explained. She led Felicity to the part of the foundry where the surplus weapons were stored on stainless steal racks.

"Go ahead, try some," Laurel nodded to the array of weapons. Felicity veered away from the bows, an unspoken agreement between the women. She weighed various swords and machetes in her hands, but they all seemed crude and a little too brutal for her tastes. Finally, she picked up a sleek, black metal bo staff that was roughly the length of both of the Canary's staffs put together. She firmly grasped it and waved it, cutting in a downward arc, as if it here a sword.

"I like this one," Felicity grinned. "Oh, and those, too," she pointed at some delicate throwing knifes that had also caught her attention.

"That can be done," Laurel nodded her approval. They spent the rest of their time in the foundry working to get Felicity more accustomed to working with a weapon. She went home that night with quite a few nicks and scratches that she wasn't quite sure how to explain to her co-workers the next day. But, she felt a small spark of excitement growing inside of her, for she was just that much closer to being the person the city needed, a person she knew Oliver would be proud of.

Felicity paced nervously in front of the bar, waiting for her companion. After a particularly good night of training, Laurel had suggested they go get a drink together that weekend. Logically, it made total sense. She and Laurel were on a team together so wouldn't it be better if they became closer? But, her logical seemed to unravel in real life. This was THE Laurel Lance, after all. What did Felicity really have to add in a friendship with her?

"Sorry, I am late. Being an ADA is means a _lot of_ paperwork, sometimes," Laurel said as she breezed by and into the nearest booth. Felicity followed, sitting across from her.

"I can understand that," Felicity said, after they ordered. She adjusting her glasses and smoothing her pink peplum dress out of habit before she continued. "I'm less involved with projects and actually doing stuff as the VP at Palmer Tech," Felicity clarified.

"How is that by the way?" Laurel asked, leaving go the 'without Ollie?' part, mercifully.

"It's better and worse," Felicity answered, not realizing how that sounded outside of her head until Laurel raised an eyebrow. "Well, I like that I get to have a say in things and I have access to a wide range of projects, but I miss actually being a part of developing those projects and solving problems. Plus, I hate all the galas," Felicity said.

"I remember seeing you at several," Laurel mused, leaving out the 'with Ollie' part. "You looked a bit like the deer in headlights," Laurel added, mirthfully.

"People and schmoozing aren't my thing. Computer? Yes," Felicity nodded emphatically. "People? No!" Felicity added, causing Laurel to laugh genuinely. Felicity decided that she liked this pleasant, happy Laurel. She want to be not just training buddies and allies, but friends.

Both ladies dug in once the food came, having a voracious appetite. They took the respite to size the other up, each finding distinct qualities about the other that they liked. Much of the night was spent talking, reminiscing about the past and gossiping about the present. It was this night that the future Laurel and Felicity fondly remembered as the true beginning of their somewhat unlikely friendship and adventures together.


	4. Chapter 4

Hope y'all enjoy this new chapter! I love, love, love reviews and am open to any ideas. Thank you so much for reading this!

WinterRain36: Yeah, I definitely can't wait to write that! I am excited for his return, too!

kindleflame5: Don't worry, she definitely is. One of my most important points is trying to weave in her intelligence as a tool to her advantage when she is fighting. The moves she learned from Diggle and Sara will definitely come in useful.

unicorn1111: Thanks! This has been really fun to write. I feel like Felicity has the potential to be a great heroine! I have to admit, it's fun to write and explore how Felicity has been growing in regards to her new skill.

Disclaimer, I don't own Arrow, unfortunately. Enjoy!

Felicity returned to Palmer Tech after lunch in a much better mood then when she had left. Wednesdays were the day that she meet with her Women in Science and Technology club. She felt silly calling it a club, but that's what it was. Right after Oliver had left, Diggle made her take some time off after she made a mistake that almost cost Roy his life. Needless to say, Felicity wasn't very good at taking time off or chilling. Instead, she transferred all her focus into Palmer Tech. In that single week, she had started and completed 5 projects, landed a major deal with Wayne enterprises, and most importantly, she had started the club. For one hour every Wednesday, she felt like a regular person. Plus, she would subtly ask around when some of her work for Team Arrow was giving her problems.

She said her goodbyes to the remaining ladies and returned to her office. She looked forward to on her new project of funneling Palmer Tech's excess energy to the city.

"How was lunch?" Felicity jumped, almost dropping coffee cup. She turned towards the voice. Ray was sitting on one of the lounge chairs a few feet in front of her desk, gazing over the plans she had already drawn up. He stood up and turned towards her.

"Coffee? Isn't that more of a morning drink?" He teased. A small smile tugged at Felicity's lips. Over the past few months, Ray had sensed something had change with the short blonde. He had given her some space to come to terms with whatever had happened, a gesture Felicity had really appreciated this. But, Ray wasn't quite ready to give up on Felicity. He was in it for the long hall.

"You don't want to live with a Felicity sans caffeine. Most bodies are comprised of 70% of water. Mine is 70% coffee. If you want you VP to keep her sanity, I would suggest you indulge in her caffeine addiction," Felicity pointed out. Ray held his hands up and hung his head playfully in defeat. Felicity walked back to her desk, motioning for Ray to take a seat.

"Your right, I'd hate to lose my best employee. I did spend quite a lot of money just so I could be your boss in the first place," Ray paused. He put the folder down on her desk and pushed it back towards her. "You plans seem good. The circuitry is better than how I thought it would be configured. Though, I would add a second microchip to lessen the chances of the system shutting down. Unless, you already have a code in place protecting against that. Which know you…" Ray let the sentence hang. Felicity nodded, confirming Ray's suspicion.

"But, this isn't the reason I am here. I was wondering if you had made any progress on our other project," Ray said, talking about a part for his A.T.O.M suit. Felicity looked down, unlocking one of her desk drawers. She pulled out a microprocessor, holding it tightly.

"I finished it three hours after you gave it to me," Felicity said, not yet giving it to him. Ray's eyebrows rose at the statement. Felicity continued, "I wasn't sure whether I should give this to you. Doing what you want to do is dangerous," Felicity said seriously.

"I am going to it with or without your help, though I would prefer your help," Ray said, matching Felicity's tone. In truth, Felicity understood where Ray was coming from, regarding his personal crusade. She was just worried that something would happen to Ray. She couldn't stand one more person in her life being hurt or taken away from her.

"I will give it to you, but you have to promise me you'll take defensive training of some kind," Felicity held her position, staring Ray down.

"I will," Ray nodded solemnly to appease her. She held out the microprocessor. He delicately scooped it up, looking intently at the piece of technology. "Thank you! I promise you Felicity, you won't lose me. I don't plan on going anywhere," He said before getting up and slipping out the office slowly. Felicity nodded, readying herself for an evening full of work

_Clink_

Felicity's bo staff snapped up to block both of Laurel's staffs as they swept down towards her. Felicity advanced, kicking Laurel in the knee, making her legs buckle. Laurel, instead of collapsing, shifted her weight to her other leg, dropping her staffs and tackling Felicity by her waist. Felicity slammed into the ground, her bo staff flying out of her hands at the impact. Laurel's forearm pressed down against her throat. Felicity put her foot on Laurel thigh, pushing her bum to the left. Laurel jerked back, having not expecting that move. Before she could fully back away, Felicity grabbed her wrists and kicked her in Laurel in the jaw.

Felicity scrambled backwards, grabbing her bo staff. She turned, her bo staff in hand, squaring off with Laurel, who had retrieved her staffs again.

"Krav maga?" Laurel asked, raising an eyebrow. Felicity nodded, much of her focus remaining on what she was going to do next. She tapped a small button that was almost unnoticeable at the end of her staff. She spun forward, the bo staff swiping down in a deadly arc. Laurel raised her staffs up in an x formation, to protect herself from Felicity's intended blow. As soon as all three staffs touched, a surge went through them. The electricity jolted through Laurel, who collapsed, her two staffs rolling out of her grasp. Felicity tapped the button once more and leaned over Laurel.

"Since when did it do that?" Laurel asked, leaning on her elbows and rubbing her head. Felicity help out her hand, helping Laurel to her feet.

"One of the ladies in my lunch group was writing a code that would electrocute and fry the circuit boards of any computer that tried to enter the program without the proper id or code. She asked for my help and it sort of gave me the idea," Felicity explained. "Don't worry, I had it set to low. I am sorry if it hurt," she added softly.

"No, that's rather genius, I think. If you continue improving in this same manner, we'll be out on the streets in a matter of weeks," Laurel said. Felicity grinned, unable to contain her excitement at the prospect of finally being able to do some good for the city and for Oliver.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey! Thank y'all soooo much for reading! I want to warn y'all that over the next month, I won't be update very much because I have a major test and project that will consume the majority of my free time. Hope you like this chapter! I love, love, love reviews and am open to any ideas.

Kindleflame5: I hope so, too! In a future chapter, we will get to see them face off and anything could happen.

WinterRain36: I like Ray Palmer as a character, but not as a romantic interest for Felicity. I won't be killing him off, though. While there will be a bit of Raylicity to stir the pot, this story will remain Olicity.

DaineQueentheNavyRaven: I am glad you like it so much! I will definitely take your suggestions in to consideration! There were several that I really liked. I haven't 100% decided some of the major plot points that will develop, but your ideas have been added to the running. Thanks for suggesting them!

Highlander348: I am glad you do! I like the bolas, but instead of Felicity, I am going to give them to Laurel. Felicity had her knives and the bo staff, so this will even it out. Thanks for the suggestions!

Disclaimer, I don't own Arrow.

Felicity's arrival at the Foundry was announce by the loud clicking of her black high heel shoes, as she excitedly went down the stairs. Today was the day! Her first mission! Felicity could barely contain her anticipation, but did so when she saw her mentor/friend hovering over the monitors. She heard Laurel emit a barely audible groan from under her breath. Felicity had been teaching Laurel the ways of the force regarding technology. Laurel was adept with everyday technology, but Felicity's level was something else entirely. Laurel was having a much harder time, as she was still struggling with the basics of what Felicity did. Their technology training sessions often ended in a series of curses and a broken mouse.

As soon as Laurel was aware of Felicity's presence, she backed away from the monitors in a defeated manner, relinquishing the unwieldy beast to their true master. Felicity started to smile but was wise enough to cover it up with a cough. She didn't want to have to explain to the office supply store clerk why she needed, yet again, another computer mouse.

Felicity sat for a second and re-ordered the files and programs that Laurel had managed to mix up or delete.

"This came in for you," Laurel grinned, recovered from her frustration. She plopped down a large package. Felicity scrambled to grab one of her knives to open the package. Despite her excitement, she carefully opened the package. Upon seeing the contents, she teared up.

"I'll be right back," Felicity grabbed the package and rushed towards the bathroom. In a matter of moments, she reappeared a new women, who looked absolutely fierce. She had her blonde hair carefully pinned beneath a wig of wavy, jet black hair. She wore black leather pants that had a vibrant pink stripe on each side. On the top, she wore a black scoop neck shirt with long sleeves that had a delicately embroidered, cursive L stitched in pink on the front. Her bo staff was clipped to her utility base in its shortened form, a recent modification that had made it more portable. She had a few knifes slipped into her black boots, and a few on her utility belt. She, as usually, had her bright pink lipstick, to match the pink of her outfit.

"Looks nice," Laurel said, giving her a thumbs up. Felicity nodded, a blush coming to her face. In the restroom, she hadn't even been able to recognize herself. But, that was the kind of anonymity that a superhero needed.

"Let's see who is making mischief tonight," Felicity said, humorously. She slid into her chair, her fingers flying over the keyboard. The database she pulled from made a ding.

"The alarm at the bank on North 25th Street in the Glades was just tripped," Felicity said, her eyes scanning the information on the screen.

"Let's roll. We can do the rest in the car," Laurel nodded. She and Laurel made their way out of the Foundry and to their car. Laurel and Felicity had pooled their funds and bought a used Camaro. A local mechanic had owed the Canary a favor. He had fixed up the Camaro and installed some of the technology that Felicity had developed. The car itself was black with hot pink racing stripes, a nod to Felicity's color.

Laurel took the wheel, the engine roaring to life. Felicity punched the open button next to the glove compartment. The glove compartment popped open and out slid a sleek laptop, a modification that Felicity had insisted on. As Laurel drove, Felicity hacked into the First National Bank's security system. The security video showed four masked men entering, using a code breaking device to get in. Felicity relayed the info to Laurel, as the laptop sent the footage and info to the smart phone hidden in one of the pouches on her utility belt.

"Could you wipe the footage of the street cameras?" Laurel asked as the car raced down the street.

"I've already got that covered. I wrote and activated a program that when it detects our car, will erase and patche over the footage," Felicity grinned. Laurel couldn't help but be blown away by the sheer technological prowess Felicity demonstrated. Laurel parked the car a distance away from the bank.

"There's a side entrance that the employees use," Felicity whispered. Both Felicity and Laurel stalked forward, staying in the shadows. At the side entrance, Laurel bent down to jimmy open the lock. When she did in a matter of seconds, Felicity raised her eyebrows. Laurel shrugged. Felicity pulled out the phone. She tapped a few things and the layout of the bank appeared with four red dots, signifying the robbers.

"I need to get to the two men in the back. Can you take care of the two in the front?" Laurel whispered. Felicity nodded, crouching. Laurel slowly opened the door. Both women ducked down as they tiptoed, so they couldn't be seen over the teller's counter. Laurel stopped at the end of the counters and turned to Felicity, waiting for her to make her move.

In a split second, Felicity popped to her feet, a knife in her hand. Both of the men were turned, unaware of the fierce blond about to bear down on them. The knife flew out of her hands and landed squarely in one of the men's shoulder. That man fell to the floor and the other one whirled around, surprised and then enraged. Laurel took advantage of commotion and made her way to the other thugs.

Felicity took a running jump and slide over the counter. Had she not been facing a thug, she would have squealed over how cool that move had just looked. She executed a spin turn, the bo staff arcing down towards the thugs neck. The man, having large height and lanky build, ducked, the bo staff just missing him. He sprung forward and tackled her to the floor. He snarled as he grabbed both end of the bo staff, pressing it against her throat. Felicity squirmed under his weight. She jerked her knee up, hitting him in the balls. He groan, his grip releasing on her bo staff. She regain her control of it and slammed it into his face. He stumbled backwards, his nose now bleeding. Felicity pressed one of the small buttons on the end of her staff. Instead of electrifying, it short circuited. Felicity huffed, frustrated that it was shorting out on her when she needed it to. She cast it aside as she saw a large fist flying at her. She caught it at the last second, using her strength to twist his arm. He doubled over and she slammed her knee into his face knocking him out. The man slumped on the floor next to his companion, who had passed out at the sight of his own blood.

"Not bad, though you really need to work on that bo staff," Laurel surmised, standing by the hallway watching Felicity. Felicity shrugged, rubbing her neck.

"You did well for your first try," Laurel reassured her, tossing Felicity some rope to try up the robbers with. Felicity knelt down, tying the men up. She felt the excitement rush through her. Never before had she felt this way. She finally felt at peace. It had only taken her a year and some pretty intensive training to get back on her feet. While some small part of her would forever belong to Oliver, she was beginning to feel whole again. Before leaving, Felicity took a small card out of her pouch and rested it on one of the men's chest. Laurel raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. The card read:

_~The Black Canary and Lovelace_

Okay, so Felicity's superhero name is Lovelace. I chose this for two reasons. One, I think it sounds pretty. Two, I chose it in honor of Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, who is known for her work on Charles Babbage's early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. It's a nod to Felicity's computer talent. I hope y'all like it!


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